The Rat Catcher
by American Tiger
Summary: Will the Rat Catcher get revenge for his brother Erik? I wrote this last year for school and it's kinda rushed, so be nice.
1. Erik's Brother

Even though the Phantom had died a week after Raoul and Christine fled the country, strange things still occurred at the Paris Opera House. People heard mysterious crying coming from a place they could not find. A week later, odd things started to happen. People's valuables started disappearing. Lights would flicker. One person, Abella Beauchamp even vanished.  
The cause of this was someone named John. Erik's mother, Madeleine, had another child, two year later, and named him John. John was normal. She kept Erik and John separated and neither knew the other existed. One day, John was going to jump out and scare his mom.  
  
As he was about to jump out, Erik walked over to his mother. John remained hidden to find out who this boy with a mask was. After listening to the conversation, he had learned Erik was his brother and was born ugly. He learned how his mother disliked him. John loved his brother dearly and hated his mother for treating Erik badly. Because the house was so old, no one knew there were trapdoors. John had discovered many. John would use them to follow Erik. Erik became his role model. John would watch Erik.  
Erik and John have many things in common. They both sing beautifully, great ventriloquism skills, lassoing, a love for trap doors and many more things they learned they could do well. One day, when Erik was ten, Erik decided to run away. John decided to follow. He managed to keep hidden. They both learned many things on their adventure. When the Paris Opera House was being built, John still remained hidden. At night when every one would leave, he would come and work on trap doors of his own. When the Paris Opera House was built he moved in along with Erik. Erik had his house beyond the lake and John had built his house in an even more clever location. John loved rats. He would often give them food. The rats grew fond of John. They started following him around. He built a home for all the rats. He would usually walk around with about 30 rats. One day, when he was walking in one of his secret passages, a whole table was accidentally knocked over. Wonderful foods were on it. The rats saw this through the viewing crack he created to see out without being noticed. The rats charged out of the secret passage. Many screamed and ran. One man, Eustache Delaflote, said he would get the rat poison. John heard him and ran out. He collected the rats like mad. People had no clue of who he was or where he came from. They were just glad he got all the rats. Eustache got back as John was running away. A lady said, "It's all right. The rat catcher got them all." John heard this statement. He decided he would be called The Rat Catcher. He discovered Erik was in love with Christine. He watched when Erik took Christine for the last time. The Rat Catcher knew Raoul would try to save her. He decided to watch the cellars. He spotted Persian and Raoul walking. He had all his rats with him. He ran after them. He caught up and had his rats climb on them. He warned them. He knew what the Persian had done for Erik. He left to relax and celebrate his victory. After a while he decided to take a walk. He was watching people pass when he saw Raoul and Christine running off. He charged down to Erik's house. He saw Erik crying. John felt great pain and he wept tears. He felt great anger and hatred. He declared, "I swear I shall get revenge on Raoul de Chagny!" 


	2. Gabriella

Raoul and Christine had fled to Scandinavia. There, they got married and bought a house in the country side. They eventually had a child. It was a girl. They named her Gabriella. She grew up to be a beautiful child, like her mother. She had gorgeous blonde hair. She always seemed to have a glint of joy in her eyes. She loved to sing. She sang as well as or better than Christine. When Gabriella turned ten Christine told her all about the Paris Opera House and how she sang there, except about the Phantom. Gabriella would pretend she was singing a lead role at the Paris Opera House. Whenever Christine would tell Gabriella about the Paris Opera House Gabriella noticed that she had a sad, far off look in her eyes. Whenever Gabriella asked what was wrong she would always get the same answer, "Nothing." One day Christine got enough courage to tell the story, but with different names. She first told about the Angel of Music. Then she told Gabriella a make believe story which was none other than her own story with the Phantom. Gabriella loved the story and hated it. She had Christine tell it to her every night.  
Raoul and Christine knew how much Gabriella wanted to go to Paris and watch the opera and they knew even more how much she wanted to sing there.  
"Christine, ever think of moving back to Paris?" Raoul said to Christine, "Erik is dead. The Persian told us so." "I would, but the memories haunt me." replied Christine. "It is all over. It is okay. Gabriella would love it. It is her dream to go there." said Raoul. Christine answered "Well. okay. Yes, let's move back to Paris." 


	3. Hope For Revenge

As Gabriella turned fifteen she got a long wanted present, to move to Paris. They found a nice house in Paris. They took her to see many operas.  
Her favorite was Les Deux Petits Savoyards. Christine and Raoul had changed since the last time they were at the Paris Opera House. They still had some of their old features, but there were many new ones. The Paris Opera House had changed some too. There were new managers, decorations and much more. When Gabriella turned sixteen she received the chance to sing a small part in Montano et Stephanie. She constantly rehearsed her part. She did wonderfully during the performance. She performed in many other operas, such as On ne s'avise jamais de tout and Les Trois Fermiers. She did so well that she received the part of Stella in La Fille du Tambour. Lisette, Carlotta's daughter, also tried out for the part of Stella. Because she didn't get the part, she grumbled and complained. No one dared to sit in Box 5. It was considered cursed since the Phantom had used it. John sat in Box five. He sulked as he waited for La Fille du Tambour. He hated the world. The world hated Erik so John hated the world. John listened to the announcer tell who would play who. One thing the announcer said stuck out though. "Stella will be played by Gabriella de Chagny." "Gabriella de Chagny?" thought John. As he watched the performance in disbelief he recognized the resemblance between Gabriella and Christine. He thought to himself with an evil grin on his face, "I shall get revenge on a de Chagny after all." 


	4. Kidknapped

Mysteriously, Gabriella's dressing room was none other than Christine's old one. One day, as she sat in her dressing room, she heard beautiful singing. It was as if and angel was in her room. "Who is singing?" asked Gabriella. "Why, don't you know?" the voice asked, "I am the Angel of Music." Gabriella gasped in surprise. The voice said "I will teach you how to sing even more beautifully than you do now, but only if you do not tell anyone about our lessons or me. I will leave if you do." "I won't tell a soul." answered Gabriella. Lessons went on for weeks and weeks. Gabriella didn't tell anyone about the Angel of Music. Then, one day, things changed. A plague of rats seemed to come out of nowhere and filled the room. Gabriella was about to scream when a hand covered her mouth. Then, she fainted. Eventually Raoul and Christine came into the dressing room looking for her. They found a note on the dresser. It read:  
  
If you want Gabriella back, Raoul and Christine must come and get her. You know where we are.  
Sincerely,  
Rat Catcher  
  
Christine's face turned white. "The Rat Catcher." said Raoul with a pensive look on his face "The Rat Catcher!" repeated Raoul with surprise. "Who is the Rat Catcher?" asked Christine. "The Persian and I ran into him on our way to rescue you." answered Raoul, "He must want revenge." 


	5. Why?

Raoul and Christine managed to open the mirror and walk inside. Raoul told Christine to hold her hand up like she had a pistol just like he and the Persian did. "Now I must relive the same night mare that happened twenty years ago." said Christine. They crept along as quietly as they could. They let their guard down a little because there was no trouble so far. Even if they kept there guard up they would not be able to escape their upcoming danger. They heard rats scampering their way. They ran. It was no use. They turned around. The rats were like a sea. Rats surrounded Christine and Raoul. The rats climbed all over them. Then, a figure walked over, tied them up and blind folded them. They struggled, but could not free themselves. Christine and Raoul were carried off to Erik's house. When they got inside they were set down. "I shall get revenge at last." said the Rat Catcher. "What did we do?" replied Raoul. "What did you do!" answered John in an angry, loud voice. "You broke my brother's heart, that's what you did!" He had the rats take them to the torture chamber. Once inside, the rats gnawed through the ropes so Christine and Raoul could get them off. The rats scurried out. John shut the door before they got their blindfolds off. Then, he turned on the light. 


	6. Torture Chamber

John let Gabriella out of her bedroom. He said "Take a look through that window. What do you see?" "A forest." she replied. Then, she spotted her parents. "My mom and dad! What are you going to do to them?" Gabriella shrieked. "They will be punished." replied John. "What did they do?" questioned Gabriella. "What did they do?" yelled John. John cooled down. "I tell you." he said "My brother is Erik. We never knew each other existed. I found out one day. He was hideous; but he was my brother whom I loved. Everyone hated him, except me. Finally, he ran away; and I followed. Eventually, he built the Paris Opera House with trapdoors. I built some of my own. We stayed down here. One day, he found Christine. She was beautiful as her singing. He loved her. He pretended to be the Angel of Music. She loved Raoul though. Finally, he kidnapped her. Raoul and the Persian followed. I scared them off. They must have come back a different way and rescued Christine because later I saw Raoul and Christine running off together. I swore I would get revenge and I will" "My mother told me that story, but I didn't know it was real. You have the last part wrong. Erik let them go out of free will." "Why should I believe you?" asked John, "What proof do you have?" Gabriella sat silently. "Do you know what kind of forest that is? It is an African forest. It will get hotter and hotter until they die or hang themselves." said John with a sinister look on his face. This was too much for Gabriella. She wept and wept. John was laughing. His laughter died along with his smile as she continued. It was as if she was an angel crying. She was so innocent and pure. His heart softened. He then knew she was telling the truth. "Don't cry." he said, almost crying, "I'll let them out." John turned off the light and opened the door. Gabriella raced in. "Mommy! Daddy!" she cried as she ran over to give them a hug. John apologized. He did not know that they didn't hate Erik until now. He said they could go free. "Why don't you come with us? Start over." said Gabriella. "Yes," said Christine, "You can stay with us for as long as you need to." "I would love to," replied John. 


	7. Epilogue

Christine and Raoul got the happily ever after they deserved. John stayed with them. He would come to the Paris Opera House once a week to give the rats some food. Gabriella got many lead rolls and became famous. Lisette complained about how she deserved to get the lead rolls and be famous. One day, when she was grumbling, a rat came over and bit her. She shrieked. As the rat scampered off it appeared as if he was chucking. 


End file.
